quick takes 3-3-05

EAT RIGHT, DO GOOD

Two Springfield restaurants, Maldaner’s and
Tuscany, will participate in a statewide effort to raise money for charity.
As part of the annual “Share-a-Meal” program, sponsored by
Community Shares of Illinois, the restaurants will donate 30 percent of
sales on Tuesday, March 8.

Community Shares represents more than 70 charities
that address hunger, homelessness, domestic violence, and other needs.
Charities and nonprofits that will benefit this year include the
Springfield Project, Prevention First Inc., Planned Parenthood Springfield
Area, Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County, the Illinois Stewardship
Alliance, and the Illinois Hunger Coalition.

Tuscany is located at 3123 Robbins Rd.
(217-726-5343); Maldaner’s is at 222 S. Sixth St. (217-522-4313).

CARTOONIST OF THE YEAR

John Sherffius, whose work began running in Illinois Times in July 2004,
was named cartoonist of the year by the National Press Foundation. The
prestigious award was presented two weeks ago in Washington, D.C.

Sherffius is the former editorial cartoonist of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He
resigned in December 2003, citing disagreements with the newspaper’s
editor, Ellen Soeteber. The two had clashed over what she felt was
Sherffius’ excessive criticism of President George W. Bush
and Republicans. Sherffius, who is self-syndicated, continues to
live in the St. Louis area.

Other foundation honorees include New Yorker writer Seymour Hersh, who
is credited with uncovering torture at Abu Ghraib prison; Boston Globe editor Martin
Baron; and the host of NBC’s Meet the
Press, Tim Russert.

FLAGS LOWERED FOR SPRINGFIELD SOLDIER

U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Palmatier became the first
soldier from Springfield to die in Iraq. He was killed Saturday, Feb. 24,
by a roadside bomb.

He was one of three central Illinois soldiers killed
in separate bombings in the past week. Army Staff Sgt. Daniel G. Gresham,
23, of Lincoln, was killed Saturday; 2nd Lt. Richard B. “Brian”
Gienau, 29, of Peoria, died Sunday. Gienau was with the Iowa National
Guard.

Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin ordered flags on city
buildings to be flown at half-staff in Palmatier’s honor. In a
statement, Davlin praised Palmatier for “serving Springfield and his
country in the name of freedom.” Palmatier’s father, David
Palmatier, told the Associated Press his son hadn’t wanted to go to
Iraq.

As of Wednesday, 1,499 members of the military have
been killed in Iraq since the U.S. attacked nearly two years ago.